Thames Valley Police have authorised a Section 34 dispersal order for central Milton Keynes after reports of large groups of young people engaging in anti‑social behaviour. The authorisation was made on 8 February 2026 and was authorised for up to 48 hours.
The dispersal covers central Milton Keynes — the city centre retail area (the primary shopping district around The Centre:MK and Midsummer Place) and the surrounding streets (TVP public notices referred to boundaries around H5, H6, V8 and the A5). The order allows officers to direct people to leave the specified area if they suspect their behaviour is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public.
Under the powers given by the Anti‑social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, officers and designated PCSOs can tell individuals to leave the authorised area and prohibit their return for the period the authorisation is in force. Failure to comply is a criminal offence: those convicted on summary charge face up to three months’ imprisonment and/or a fine up to level 4 on the standard scale (currently up to £2,500).
Thames Valley Police said the order is a preventative tool “to ensure that those who want to visit our city centre to shop or work can do so without fear of intimidation.” The move follows the force’s recent “Winter of Action”, during which TVP carried out more than 5,700 hotspot patrols and made over 250 arrests aimed at tackling anti‑social behaviour and violence across the area.
Reporters should confirm the exact start and end times on the force’s authorisation or the TVP press notice before publication, and — where possible — include the police authorisation map when naming the precise streets and boundaries covered.
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